prêtre French · revision 16877

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1112, Benedeit, Voyage de saint Brendan|origins=grc πρέσβυς}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pʁɛtʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /pʁɛːtʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''prêtre''' ''m'' (plural prêtres, feminine prêtresse)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French nominative [[m|fro|prestre]], oblique [[m|fro|provoire]], [[m|fro|proveire]];^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)^(Wiktionary) ''prestre'' in the Académie dictionary of 1694 and 1718, ''prêtre'' from 1740.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|prestre]], the old nominative, [[inh|la-ecc|presbyter|t=elder; priest]], from [[grc|πρεσβύτερος|tr=presbúteros|t=elder]], first used in the New Testament for one of the elders of the people, the comparative of [[m|grc|πρέσβυς|tr=présbus|t=old; venerable]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Wiktionary) The old oblique [[m|fro|provoire]] (about 1100, “Chanson de Roland”) came from [[la-vul|*prebiterum]], the accusative of an altered form [[m|la-vul|*prebiter]]; it survives in the name of the rue des Prouvaires in Paris.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ The word survives throughout Romance, from “presbyter” or from a late form “prebyter” influenced by [[la|praebitor|t=purveyor]], “he who provides for the salvation of the faithful”: [[it|prete]], [[es|preste]], [[pro|prestre]] and [[m|pro|preveire]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873) [[presbytère]] is a learned derivative of the same word.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Voyage de saint Brendan'' (early 12th century) has it for a man who has received holy orders in the Church.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The ''Chanson de Roland'' already lists ''moines, canoines, proveires corunez'' “monks, canons, tonsured priests”.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ By extension it named the minister of any religion (1213, ''Li Fet des Romains''), and ''le grand prêtre'' the head of the Hebrew religion (about 1485).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Outside Catholicism it is used mainly of antiquity and of exotic religions: Protestant and Jewish clergy are called [[pasteur]], [[ministre]] or [[rabbin]].^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Du Bellay (1549) uses it figuratively for one devoted to the cult of a person or thing, ''grand prêtre'' in particular.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''Le parti prêtre'' named the zealous supporters of the Church under the Restoration (1826–1838), and ''prêtre-ouvrier'' “worker-priest” dates from 1948.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The feminine [[prêtresse]] (12th century) meant a priest's concubine in the Middle Ages and has been a term of antiquity since the 15th century.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – The oblique ''proveire'', in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+ * c. 1112 – ''Prestre'', a Christian priest, in the ''Voyage de saint Brendan''.^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 1213 – The minister of any religion.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1485 – ''Le grand prêtre''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1549 – Figuratively, a devotee, in Du Bellay.^(TLFi)

+ * 1740 – The Académie spells it ''prêtre''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1948 – ''Prêtre-ouvrier''.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A Catholic [[m|en|priest]], one ordained to say Mass and give the sacraments.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A minister of a religion, especially of ancient or non-Christian religions: ''les prêtres de Baal'', ''grand prêtre'', a high priest.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A devotee who serves and spreads a cult.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''Prêtre-ouvrier'': a worker-priest.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[prêtraille]]

+ * [[prêtresse]]

+ * [[prêtrise]]

+ * [[archiprêtre]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[presbytère]]

+ * [[presbyte]]

+ * [[grc|πρεσβύτερος|tr=presbúteros]]

+ * [[en|priest]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}